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RIT Publishes First Video Game on Xbox Platform

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Rochester Institute of Technology has become the first university to publish a video game on the Xbox One platform.

"Hack, Slash and Backstab"  is a production of 15 students in RIT's digital media program.

The commercial for-profit studio within RIT's MAGIC Center, MAGIC Spell Studios, published the game at noon on Wednesday.

Chief communications officer for the studio, Jennifer Hinton, says it's an epic achievement for their team and the university.

"The students that worked on this game really have a leg up in their industry. They are entering the workforce with a fully published game that they're credited in, on their resume, in their portfolio and they enter on day one ready to work alongside their peers in the industry," she said.   

Credit hackslashbackstab.rit.edu

Hinton describes "Hack, Slash and Backstab" as a "multi-player arcade dungeon crawler with a twist."

She says they've been working on the game for a year and a half.                  

"We have a great program in game design and development here at RIT, and what we want to be known for is a university that graduates students that not only know to make great games, but actually have experience working as a team to publish a game," she said.

She says any profits from the game will go toward further development projects at the studio.

The game is now available on the Xbox One gaming platform, the Steam platform, and through Humble Store.